‘Close to zero impact’: US study casts doubt on effect of phone ban in schools
Summary
A study by US universities found that strict bans on mobile phones in schools have almost no effect on student test scores, attendance, or online bullying. While phone use drops significantly with bans, improvements in students’ learning and wellbeing are very small or delayed.Key Facts
- The study covered nearly 1,800 US secondary schools that locked students’ phones in pouches during school hours.
- Average test scores did not improve noticeably after phone bans; some older students showed small gains in math, but younger students showed declines.
- Attendance, classroom attention, and reports of online bullying remained largely unchanged.
- Phone use fell substantially by the third year of a ban, based on GPS data of phone activity.
- There was an initial rise in suspensions and a drop in student wellbeing in the first year of the ban, but these effects faded over time.
- UK plans to enforce phone restrictions in state schools starting next year follow growing concerns about phones’ harmful effects, especially on mental health.
- More than 90% of English schools already have some phone restrictions, but the new rules will require phones to be handed in or locked away.
- Exam regulators in England warn students against bringing phones or smart watches into exam rooms due to disqualification risks.
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